Take your pick of fall drives to see vibrant colors

So you’re out for a Sunday drive with your kids or grandchildren, looking for autumn color.

“What makes the leaves change?” asks one.

Here’s a good short answer gleaned in part from www.planetbonehead.com:

During the spring and summer, leafy trees and other plants are busy making food using a natural chemical called chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green color. Chlorophyll absorbs energy from sunlight to change carbon dioxide from the air and water from the ground to make a kind of sugar that helps the tree grow.

Along with the green pigment from the chlorophyll, leaves also have yellow and orange pigments. Most of the year, the green color is stronger. But in the fall, when the ground is dry and the days are cooler and shorter, chlorophyll stops making food. The green color disappears and the leaves turn yellow, orange, red and brown. When the leaves fall, the tree goes into its winter rest.

Though it may be raining this weekend, remember that fall color is beautiful in any weather. Of our native trees, the most colorful is the vine maple, and there’s nothing better than catching a glimpse of those little red leaves peeking out of the fog.

What are some good driving routes and places to see autumn leaves?

You might start with a ride up Highway 530 up to Darrington and beyond.

Despite the sadness of the mudslide east of Oso, the upper Stillaguamish River Valley and the Darrington area is beautiful this time of year. Along with the turning leaves, look for fog in the hills, quiet barns and the top of Whitehorse Mountain.

In town, several small eateries and the grocery store are good places for a snack.

From Darrington, head northeast into the Mount Baker National Forest on the Suiattle River Road, keeping your eye out for waterfalls.

Or perhaps drive south on the Mountain Loop Highway to Granite Falls or even head north to Highway 20 at Rockport and come home through the Skagit River Valley.

People with more time might consider driving the Cascade Loop, which takes in the added color of Eastern Washington. Drive the North Cascades (Highway 20) over to the Methow Valley and down to Lake Chelan. Come back on U.S. 2 through Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Stevens Pass and the Skykomish River Valley.

Farther afield in Whatcom County, the view of Mount Shuksan from Picture Lake is one of the most iconic images of the Northwest. Shuksan is often called the most photographed mountain in the world. The mountain’s jagged peaks reflect perfectly in the water, and in the fall, the lake is surrounded by the vibrant reds.

A trip to Picture Lake and Artist Point cap off an excellent fall drive along the Mount Baker Highway.

From Snohomish County, you have two options on how to get there. Option one is to follow I-5 all the way to Bellingham. That route is slightly longer. You’ll enjoy some pretty fall color on I-5, and Bellingham is a fun town. Your second option is to take Highway 9 north. This is a slightly shorter and more rural drive with some lovely scenery as well.

Either way, once you hit the Mount Baker Highway, you’re in for a pretty drive. The road is winding and scenic, and fall colors should be popping out by now.

Stop at the ranger station just east of Glacier before heading up for maps, hiking guides and a Northwest Forest Pass, if you need one. They have a pay station outside that lets you buy one at any time.

Then head up to the Mount Baker Ski Area. Great options for stops are Picture Lake, of course. Also check out the Chain Lakes, where you can find a number of excellent walks, from short to all-day long.

Finally, make sure to drive up to Artists Point, with stunning views of Shuksan and Baker.

Maybe you’d like to drive west of I-5 instead. From Highway 530, take Pioneer Highway up to Stanwood and enjoy the rolling hills and fall colors. There are old barns, plenty of livestock and Silvana’s Little White Church on the Hill to enjoy as you drive.

If you’ve got more time keep heading north through Stanwood on the Pioneer Highway up to Conway. Drive west on Fir Island Road and enjoy the fall wonders of the Skagit River Valley and good views of Mount Baker en route to La Conner.

Once in La Conner, drive through town, over the iconic Rainbow Bridge toward Kukutali Preserve and take a leisurely autumn hike.

An alternative, especially for families, would be to drive toward Mount Vernon instead of La Conner and drive the Skagit River farms tour. The Festival of Family Farms was the first weekend of October, but many of the farms, stretching from Mount Vernon to Bow to Sedro-Woolley, are open throughout the month for pumpkin picking and other fall fun.